Tuesday, December 27, 2016

What would you do if you find your growing child is losing confidence? Praise her minutest of actions or shower her with gifts that are actually not required?

That is not going to help much as the child will depend upon you to feel good about herself or may be, she will consider herself above others which is not healthy either. So what all can be done that help her stay confident?

Here are simple and easy ways to build confidence of your teenage daughter or son:

Let her make choices

Avoid taking each and every decision on behalf of your kid. Let her decide what works best for her out of certain options such as a 10 year old can be given a chance to decide what dress to buy for her birthday instead of telling what will be good for her. That will boost her confidence a lot.

Let her follow her hobbies/ interests

Your child is interested in theatre or sports then let her join classes and help her to continue her passion. Even if it means rescheduling your day! This will develop her self-esteem and inspire her to accomplish what she started.

Let her have a say in family matters!

On occasions such as Christmas or New Year party, ask kids to give their inputs with respect to decoration, card making, menu, her guest list,etc. This will make them feel important and of course, boost their self-esteem. In daily routine too, give your teen space to decide on usual matters and cooperate in little things such as cooking, tidying up the living room,etc

Allow your teen to take risks

Being overprotective does not let kid take risks and learn from her own experiences. Therefore, allow her to take small risks in your presence. My daughter's friend got stuck in lift and from that moment my 8 year old daughter was scared of going alone in the lift. But I encouraged her and assured that I would stand and watch in front of elevator till she reaches safely. That worked for us and now she confidently takes the elevator alone.

Help her to recover from failures

When she fails to perform as per the expectations of her teachers or peers, her confidence may dip. At that time your words of encouragement and your opinion about the situation can do a lot to build her confidence again. Remind her of her past accomplishments, beautiful experiences and pictures that reflect her positives.

Model healthy self-confidence in front of kids

Your own opinion about yourself and your response to various situations shape the mindset of your kids. Therefore, watch out your actions as you are always monitored by your kids. They are going to follow your footsteps.

Unconditional love

If your acceptance goes beyond the grades and performance of your child then come what may, your child will reflect positive attitude in everything he does. So, love unconditionally even if he fails to perform better or take wrong decisions.

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Low confidence in your teenager can restrict him/her to a shell. He may not be able to lead a healthy social life or tap his inner talent which he can otherwise do if he has faith in himself.

If you want to expand the horizon of your teenager child and desire to help him lead a happy life then check the probable signs of low confidence in your teenager boy or girl. Only if you are able to identify these warning signals, you can give the right direction to your child and make him more confident for anything and everything that comes his way.

Here are warning signals that your child has low confidence:

He avoids meeting/ communicating with his friends and class fellows; tries to stay aloof.

He avoids participating in challenges and competitions due to fear of failure.

He gives in to the demands of his peer group and is not able to say "no".

He looks for approval for his decisions and actions everytime because he is not confident.

He does not finish a task as soon as he feels difficulty and quits without trying enough.

He does not take initiative and tries to hide himself when situation arises to take responsibility.

He/ she blames people or situations for his own incompetency.

He has mood swings ranging from irritable behaviour, anxiety, hopelessness, aloofness and sadness.

He is self-critical and uses negative words for himself such as loser, fool, etc

He either rebels without a reason or is overly helpful to seek approval.

He tries to seek attention of people around him through unreasonable actions.

He tries to control people around him.

He gets into drinking, drugs, tobacco,etc.

The teenager may have some of the above symptoms which clearly indicate low self-esteem in him. Once it is established, parents can look for possible reasons and ways to deal with the low self-esteem in their child.

Friday, December 9, 2016

While it's okay to feel low some times but feeling low about
oneself continuously is not a good sign especially among growing kids. Sometimes
even as parents we can't estimate the causes of low self-esteem in kids. There
can be several reasons that make a child less confident and sadly, at times, parents
contribute to low self-confidence in their own child.

Now when a kid has
deficient self-esteem then it needs to be rectified before it has severe effect
on the psyche and life of the kid. The first step to handle low self-esteem in
your growing kid is to ascertain probable reasons of the same. Find out if you
as a parent has done or undone something that is hurting the confidence of your
child.

Let us check out
probable causes of low self-esteem and make sure your tween
is not going through the same:

When kid feels neglected:

Absence of
personal attention and support of parents may lead to low self-esteem in the kid.
Whether parents are occupied in work or over engaged on social media, providing
quality time to kids is mandatory to make them feel secure. However, if
you can’t keep your hands off from your laptop or mobile while your kid is
eager to share his story then he may feel neglected causing dip in confidence.

When you over interfere:

If you are one of those who make sure to instruct their tween now
and then or check what they are doing all the time, then the child may feel you
don’t trust his abilities. Your over indulgence in his every decision and
action may erode his confidence to work and achieve independently. So better,
keep a check on your over-caring attitude!

When you forget to appreciate enough:

You remember to pinpoint their mistakes but often forget to
appreciate their small achievements or endeavours. Instead of showing the right
path, if you become overly critical of his actions or use harsh words for the
child, the result is your teen feels he is not good enough.

To boost confidence of your child, you compare her to siblings or
peers, but it backfired! Constant comparison of performance or behaviour of
your child with others or pushing your kid to become like others will
definitely cause a serious damage to her self-esteem. Check this habit before
it destroys the self-esteem of your child!

When you do not respect:

Mocking their behaviour in front of your friends or spelling out
their weaknesses with other adults disgusts your child. When you try to prove
how your child is silly, not good enough or bad at something, he assumes that
he is not worthy for his parents.

When you give up on your child:

When you give up the hope that your teenager can improve, he also
gives up his hope, you know. Your discouraging attitude and words has a deep
negative effect on him that may not be reversible.

So before you expect your child to be responsible, sensible, hardworking or any thing else, check if you have any of the above habits that can damage his self-esteem!

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Have you seen kids throwing tantrums in full public view, in the middle of the market place, in the park or may be at clinic? You thought your kids will not behave like that until one day your kid actually embarrass you with unstoppable tantrum. Its natural whether you like it or not.

But it can be avoided, diverted or managed with some proactive ways to avoid tantrums by kid in public. How? Let's read now!

Share your list of work to be done or things to be purchased from the store

Start planning for a smooth shopping experience with your child at the mall from home itself. Share the purpose of your visit, the necessary things you need to buy/ do and how he will benefit if this task is done smoothly. It will excite the child to go for the shopping for the same purpose and perhaps to support you in this job in his own small ways.

Allow your child to participate in your grocery shopping

Show your kid the items you need to buy such as corn flakes, biscuits, etc at home. Ask him to look out for these cartons/ packets while in the store so that he focuses on your purchases and not his own. This would prompt his participation in your work without getting diverted to other things that may lead to tantrums.

Ask your child to make his own list

Ask your child at home to share what he/ she wants from the store and discuss whether you can fulfill that requirement or not. If the thing is worthy then note it down in your list in front of him so that he is assured that his demand will be met. So chances of kid being happy and not cranky are higher!

Never move out of the house on an empty stomach

Before you step out with your kid especially for shopping, always have a good meal/ snack time with him. That will ensure your toddler/ kid will not throw tantrum to buy snack or drink for him as soon as you reach the store. Though it's a bit difficult that your toddler does not cry for anything at all especially candies, ice creams or cold drinks, yet you can take this proactive action.

Also you can allow him to carry his own small bag with his favorite snack, biscuit, water bottle, book and a toy which may help him to stay engaged for longer duration.

Make rules and stay consistent

Tell your child clearly how to voice his demands when outside. Also make clear he can have his way only if he is polite enough and tantrums will only lead to loss of rewards. In addition, you can inform him that you are going for a definite time to complete certain tasks and need to return on time.

You can give him options of enjoying with his toy or listening to music or reading a book if he feels bored. All the while, you need to repeat the rules of staying calm and polite when you go out so that the child remembers them before throwing a tantrum.

Keeping engaged is the mantra

Keep talking to your child or make stories so that your kid remains entertained. Remember problem generally starts the moment he has nothing to do or think about. A mom of toddler can sing a poem or song while driving, show him different colors and teach him different shapes while pondering over the items to buy.
For an older child, you can explore whole lot of conversation which allows him to think more and stay occupied. If all this does not suffice then you have your phone to offer him for a quick diversion from public meltdown to staying calm!

Therefore, for a great experience outside with kids, do your homework first and stay calm!

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Good health of children is of topmost importance for a parent. However, growing pollution, infections, and allergies, stress levels, etc take a toll on their immunity system. So what can be the possible solutions to bestow better immunity to your child from the beginning? Here, check these out:

Breast milk for the baby: Breast-feed your baby from day one as in the initial few days; mother's milk contains 'colostrum' which provides immunity to the baby from several diseases. Also, continue to feed her your milk as it has white blood cells as well as power-packed antibodies that enhance immunity. This initiative will not only protect your child from several infections, allergies and critical diseases but also enhance her brainpower.

Sufficient sleeping time: While a baby requires 18 hours of sleep, a preschooler should get at least ten hours of sleep time. It is important to boost immunity of kids from very young age. Sleep deprivation otherwise may lead to several kinds of illness.

Fruits and vegetables: A child has better immunity if he consumes healthy diet,which comprises of fruits and vegetables such as beans, carrots, oranges, lemons, papaya, strawberries, spinach, broccoli and grapefruits. Such foods have immunity-enhancing phytonutrients that help the body to fight with infections and diseases.

Include herbs in diet: Herbs such as basil leaves, garlic, ginger, turmeric and ginseng contain antioxidant properties and boost the immunity of kids. Therefore, include these in the diet of children so that they safeguard the kids from general infections and ailments like cold, fever, flu, stomach problems to more serious issues such as diabetes, cancer and degenerative diseases.

Vitamin D: Let your child soak in sunshine so that he/ she absorbs the goodness of Vitamin D. It would help him to stay fit and free from infections.

Cleanliness for immunity: Encourage kids to wash hands with soap before and after mealtime to avoid infections. Its essential to wash hands frequently soon after play time, pet care, after using washroom, after coming from school, after sneezing and so on. While traveling outside, carry disposable napkins, sanitizer, towel and soap to maintain hygiene and keep the immunity level intact.

Avoid antibiotics: Avoid antibiotics as far as possible as frequent use will lower the immunity of kids and make bacteria resistant to antibiotics.

Avoid secondhand smoke: Secondhand smoke adversely affects the immunity of the kids as they inhale the smoke faster,which leads to destruction of healthy cells in the body. The kids become more vulnerable to infections, bronchitis, neurological issues,etc.

So, take these 9 steps for better immunity of your kid and stay happy!

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Long school hours, outdoor physical activity and scorching sun can leave your kids drained out. Let not hot temperature mess with the health of your child. Check out these quick Summer Diet tips for your kids and enjoy the season happily:

Light meals

Light meals digest easily and can provide ample of energy. So include healthy meals such as rice flakes, corn flakes, cold sandwiches, porridge, salads, dal-rice combo to fill little stomachs yet feeling happy and light. Its best to avoid fried and spicy foods which may cause stomach problems.

Fluids intake

Besides drinking plenty of water, make sure your kids run for different drinks such as homemade fruit juices, fruit flavoured squashes, smoothies and fruit milk shakes. In addition, buttermilk, lemonade and flavoured glucose should be given from time to time to replenish the lost electrolytes and stay away from DEHYDRATION.
These fluids not only keep the body hydrated but also provide ample of nutrients.

Fruit break

Keep the summer fruits such as watermelon, melon, berries, mangoes, bananas, etc well in reach of kids. Prepare a colorful fruit salad and serve to kids with a dash of lemon juice and rock salt. Cut them into interesting shapes before you serve or squeeze any fruit and add couple of ice cubes to attract your kid. Even better, make popsicles out of fresh fruit juice and see the kids asking for more! You can have 3-4 fruit servings in different forms throughout the day.

Meal time can be interesting

Summer veggies must form part of daily diet of your kids but it need not be boring. Prepare mix veggie raita wherein you can add cucumber, onion and tomato to well stirred curd. Garnish it with coriander leaves. Else prepare fruit raita using bananas, mangoes and pomegranates. Kids would love to create and eat the colorful dish during lunch/ dinner.

Another easy tip is to spread pizza sauce or any favourite sauce of child on roti and add cooked veggies or dry chicken recipe to it. Now roll the roti and its ready to be consumed quickly by super active kids during school hours or at home. With this recipe you will be relieved that your fussy kid is getting nutrients of whole food and veggies at the same time without any hassle!

Sweet dishes

Now how can we ignore daily dose of sweets to kids, but of course in proportion? Instead of ordering pastries, cakes and icecreams from outside every time, try these at home. Kids would love a visually delightful dish coming from your kitchen which can be as simple as vanilla icecream with toppings of fresh fruits, dry fruits or chocolate sauce dressing. Homemade cooker cake recipe
Mango icecream, triple sundae, fruit cream, custard, cheesecake are some of the recipes that are quick and easy to make but provide ample of taste and energy too!

Friday, April 8, 2016

Healthy nutrition is the priority of every mother. But when child does not eat properly, it becomes cause of worry. Lets check out probable reasons of why your child does not eat:

He does not like the smell, taste or appearance of the food. When introduced for the first time the child may not be tempted to eat the new dish as his sensory organs disapprove it. No need to worry this phase shall go away naturally just be patient!

He has had enough of snacks. Snacking just before dinner time often results in no eating on dinner table. So watch out if your kid runs for snacks, probably he is hungry and needs to be served meal earlier than others.

Sometimes, kids are too tired that all they want is rest. Check if your kid is rubbing his eyes and lying low, then its better to give him enough of sleep. He will make up for the skipped meal next time!

Too much pressure on the child to eat results in withdrawal. So it's better to cool off and let the child naturally accept your choice of foods.

The child has stomach issues. Often the kid does not understand and able to explain that he has stomach problem such as constipation and therefore not tempted to eat anything. This issue is difficult to diagnose. Observe your child carefully if he has stomach problem, resolve that first and you will see the difference in his appetite.

Food allergy is another reason that your child does not eat properly or is selective. Restrictions on what to eat and what not can be boring or irritating. Probably you need to be innovative to attract them to table.

The child probably cannot chew or does not know how to chew and thus spill out half eaten food.

The child is not keeping well and hence loses her appetite. As soon as she becomes well, she will gain interest in eating.

Slow growth is another reason of not eating especially among toddlers. When their growth picks up, their picky eating habit will diminish.

Kids on formula foods often avoid normal foods of different tastes in comparison to the kids who are nurtured on breastmilk.

Distractions like that of television interferes with normal eating routine of a child. So let the kid focus on his plate and distractions can wait!

Sometimes, its just a phase when kid is obsessed with particular kind of foods or taste. Be patient, the kid will overcome this habit and develop taste for new foods.

Check your eating habits first. Yes, it is important coz child will imitate what you will do. So drop your bad habit of snacking or skipping meal or being too choosy before you complain of your child's habits. Got it?

BADGE OF HONOR

About Me

I like to share my thoughts through writing. I like to connect with people through social networking sites. On my blog http://perspectiveofdeepti.blogspot.in/ , I share my views, thoughts and findings on various issues related to parenting. In the process, I learn how to be a better parent and hope that other parents would also gain from my blog. I have written innumerable write-ups and reviews for different websites belonging to different countries. Many of these write-ups have appeared on the first page of Google. I am okay with ghostwriting as well. If you desire some quality content then visit http://fiverr.com/deepank and order any of my gigs.